Cleopatra Records artist: Junior Wells - Blues Legend - New Release Review

 

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Blues Legend, by Junior Wells, and it's terrific. This is a compilation of vintage singles from the 50's and 60's and includes the entire gamut. Opening with Cut That Out, Junior Wells trademark harp sound is front and center with his vocal, joined by Johnny Jones on piano, Louis Myers on guitar, Dave Myers on bass and Odie Payne on drums. Excellent! Well's most notable track, Hodo Man (HooDoo Man) is on deck with Wells paired with Elmore James on his infamous slide guitar. Early In the Morning features the great Otis Spann on piano pushing Wells to the limit with Muddy Waters on guitar, Willie Dixon on bass  and Odie Payne on drums... What a lineup! On Lawdy! Lawdy! Wells harp seems to float on air, Spann on piano is excellent and of course the entire band really rocks. Syl Johnson adds guitar flair to Two Headed Woman over an active bass line by Dave Myers.  Slow blues, I Could Cry is a really great single with strong vocals by Wells and excellent guitar lead by Johnson. Lafayette Leake on piano really adds nicely to this classic with the mighty Earl Hooker on guitar. Another great Wells track pairs him with Earl Hooker and Leake on piano. This is a classic jam and one not to miss. Another of Wells' most loved tracks, Messin With The Kid features Hooker and Leroy Gibson on guitar, Jarrett Gibson and Donald Hankins on sax, Fred Bellow on drums. Classic! Hooker pulls out the slide on I'm A Stranger, adding a real nice tension against Leake on piano and Johnny Walker on organ, Bobby Little on drums and Earnest Johnson on bass. Boogie track I Need Me A Car, features Hooker on guitar, Johnny Walker on organ and cool vocals by Wells. The rest of the players are unknown. Wrapping the release is a swinging cover of What's I Say with Wells on vocal, Little Brother Montgomery on piano, Otis Rush on guitar, Jack Myers on bass, and Fred Below on drums. This really is an excellent set and if you don't have the full Wells catalog you need this one! 

  If you support live Blues acts, up and coming Blues talents and want to learn more about Blues news and Fathers of the Blues, Like ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorites band! -  ”LIKE”

 For added exposure - Blues World Wide Group "LIKE" 

   

 “Like” Bman’s Facebook page and get support for your favorite band or venue - click HERE

For your convenience, you can click the title of this post above to be taken to a site where this cd can be purchased - Happy Listening

Black Keys, Al Green, Mutual Benefit, and More - Fat Possum Newsletter

The Black Keys and Al Green Exclusive Vinyl at Newbury Comics

Limited edition colored vinyl for the Black Keys' Thickfreakness and Chulahoma are available exclusively from Newbury Comics
Both releases can be ordered online here, or at a Newbury Comics location
Find your local store here

Al Green's Let's Stay Together has also been released on a limited edition green vinyl
Find it online here

---

---

Mutual Benefit Signs To Other Music

Jordan Lee's Mutual Benefit has signed to Other Music
His album Love's Crushing Diamond will be released in the US on December 3rd and UK/EU on January 13th

Pre-order it on our website here

 

Listen to Let's Play / Statue of a Man from Love's Crushing Diamond here and check out Mutual Benefit tour dates below

11/09 - Baby's All Right - New York, NY
11/10 - Jungle Room - Easton, PA
11/12 - 3 Door Studios - Oberlin, OH
11/13 - Lake Hope Lodge - Athens, OH
11/15 - Pa's Lounge - Boston, MA
12/02 - Other Music (Album Release Party) - New York, NY

---

---

Otis Clay / Trying To Live My Life Without You Reissue

In Stores Now
LP / Digital at Fat Possum
LP / Digital at Amazon
Digital at iTunes
Find your local record store

Stream the entire album on Soundcloud

---

---

The Wytches / Crying Clown 7"

Fat Possum Records will release The Wytches' debut, Crying Clown, as a 7" on November 12

Pre-order it from our website here

Listen to Crying Clown here

---

---

Waylon Jennings / Honky Tonk Heroes

Waylon Jennings' Honky Tonk Heroes will be back on vinyl through Fat Possum Records

The remastered album will be out on November 12

Preorder it from our website here

---

---

Syl Johnson / Back For A Taste Of Your Love Reissue

Syl Johnson's Back For A Taste Of Your Love will also be reissued and in stores on November 12

Preorder it from our website here

---

---

Youth Lagoon On Tour In Europe

10/31 - Dublin, Ireland - Whelans
11/1 - London, UK - Islington Assembly Hall
11/2 - Paris, France - Pitchfork Paris
11/5 - Tel Aviv, Israel - Barby
11/7 - Barcelona, Spain - Razz 2
11/8 - San Sebastian, Spain - Venue TBC
11/9 - Madrid, Spain - But
11/10 - Santiago, Spain - Capitol
11/12 - Orleans, France - L'Astrolabe
11/13 - Strasbourg, France - Laiteire
11/14 - Fribourg, Switzerland - Fri-Son
11/15 - Berlin, Germany - Venue TBC
11/17 - Oslo, Norway - Parkteatret
11/18 - Stockholm, Sweden - Debaser Media
11/19 - Gothenburg, Sweden - Pustervik
11/20 - Copenhagen, Denmark - Pumpehuset
11/22 - Hamburg, Germany - Rolling Stone Weekender
11/23 - Utrecht, Netherlands - Tivoli
11/24 - Brussels, Belgium - Botanique

---

---

Temples On Tour

11/18 - The Empty Bottle - Chicago, IL
11/19 - The Loving Touch - Detroit, MI
11/20 - The Legendary Horseshoe Tavern - Toronto, Ontario, CA
11/21 - Le Petit Campus - Montreal, Quebec, CA
11/22 - Great Scott - Allston, MA
11/23 - Kung Fu Necktie - Philadelphia, PA
11/25 - Bowery Ballroom - New York, NY
11/26 - Union Pool - Brooklyn, NY
11/27 - DC9 - Washington, DC

---

---

Anna Von Hausswolff On Tour

10/31 - Iceland Airwaves Festival - Reykjavik, Iceland
11/01 - Sacred Music Festival - Uppsala, Sweden
11/02 - Tavastia - Helsinki, Finland
11/30 - Pustervik - Gothenburg, Sweden
12/01 - Fasching - Stockholm, Sweden
12/04 - Lan Theatre - Atlas Performing Arts Center - Washington, DC
12/05 - Johnny Brenda's - Philadelphia, PA
12/06 - Union Hall - Brooklyn, NY
12/07 - Mercury Lounge - New York, NY
12/09 - Schubas Tavern - Chicago, IL
12/10 - 7th Street Entry - Minneapolis, MN
12/13 - The Vera Project - Seattle, WA
12/14 - Doug Fir Lounge - Portland, OR
12/15 - Rickshaw Stop - San Francisco, CA
12/16 - Bootleg Bar - Los Angeles, CA

---

---

Jackson Scott On Tour In Europe

10/31 - Strasbourg, France - Troc Cafe
11/01 - Namur, Belgium - Beautes Soniques Festival at Belvedere
11/02 - Lille, France - La Peniche
11/03 - Nantes, France - SOY Festival at Lieu Unique
11/04 - Brighton, UK - The Green Door Store
11/05 - Manchester, UK - Soup Kitchen
11/06 - Bristol, UK - Start the Bus
11/08 - London, UK - The Lexington
11/09 - Amersfoort, Netherlands - I am the City Festival
11/10 - Utrecht, Netherlands - Tivoli Spiegelbar
11/11 - Berlin, Germany - Privatclub
11/12 - Hamburg, Germany - Uebel & Gefaehrlich
11/13 - Copenhagen, Denmark - Spillestedet Stengade
11/14 - Oslo, Norway - Bla
11/15 - Stockholm, Sweden - Strand Stockholm
11/16 - Gothenburg, Sweden - Pusterviksbaren
11/17 - Aarhus, Denmark - Voxhall Atlas
11/19 - Leipzig, Germany - Goldhorn
11/20 - Munich, Germany - Unterdeck
11/21 - Zagreb, Croatia - Kino Grit
11/22 - Legnano, Italy - Circolone Club
11/23 - Besancon, France - Generiq at Zonarts
11/24 - Turin, Italy - Blah Blah
11/25 - Lyon, France - Le Sonic

Is It Because I Am Black - Syl Johnson

Syl Johnson (born July 1, 1936) is an American blues and soul singer and record producer.
Born Sylvester Thompson in Holly Springs, Mississippi, United States, he migrated with his family to Chicago in 1950; blues guitarist Magic Sam was his next-door neighbor. Johnson sang and played with blues artists Magic Sam, Billy Boy Arnold, Junior Wells and Howlin' Wolf in the 1950s, before recording with Jimmy Reed for Vee-Jay in 1959. He made his solo debut that same year with Federal, a subsidiary of King Records of Cincinnati, backed by Freddie King on guitar.

He then began recording for Twinight Records of Chicago in the mid 1960s. Beginning with his first hit, "Come On Sock It to Me" in 1967, Johnson dominated the label as both a hitmaker and producer. His song "Different Strokes", also from 1967, featured on the Ultimate Breaks and Beats breakbeat compilation.

Like other black songwriters of the period, several of his records at this time explored themes of African-American identity and social problems in songs including "Is It Because I'm Black", which reached Number 11 in the US Billboard R&B chart in 1969.

In 1971, Willie Mitchell brought Johnson to Hi Records, the two recording three albums which spawned a number of singles. Produced in Memphis with the Hi house band, these yielded the hits "We Did It", "Back for a Taste of Your Love" and "Take Me to the River", his biggest success, reaching Number 7 on the R&B chart in 1975. However, at Hi Records, Johnson was always to some extent in Al Green's shadow commercially, if not artistically. Mitchell also chose to use mainly in-house material rather than Johnson originals.

After the Hi years ended, Johnson produced two LPs for his own Shama label, the latter of which (Ms. Fine Brown Frame, 1982) was picked up for distribution by Boardwalk Records and produced Johnson's last hit record, the title cut.

Around the mid-1980s, Johnson started a fast-food fish restaurant business, and became semi-retired from performing, only making occasional appearances at blues club gigs.

In 1992, Johnson found out that his song "Different Strokes" had been sampled by number of rappers including Wu-Tang Clan, Public Enemy, Kool G Rap, Hammer, and the Geto Boys. Stimulated by this fact, he decided to make a comeback in the music industry. In 1994, he released the album Back in the Game on Delmark Records. The album featured the Hi rhythm section and his youngest daughter Syleena Johnson.

Blues guitarist and singer Jimmy Johnson, and bassist Mack Thompson are his brothers.
Like my Facebook Page, Post your video on my Wall or post your Photos of great blues events! Share your favorite posting and get more exposure for your favorites band! - ”LIKE”